Opinion: Reality TV could save American politics

I know, I’ve been grousing for a while about our political system and what I think is wrong with it – from low voter turnout and citizen apathy to political corruption, divisive rhetoric and sleazy influence brokering.

But I have found the solution.

It’s reality television.

We’ve all seen (or are at least peripherally aware of) the reality series such as “Survivor” and “Big Brother” in which every move the contestants make is recorded on dozens of tiny cameras.

Viewers see the best and worst of each player – how they support one another, but also how they stab each other in the back; their strengths, their weaknesses and their peccadilloes.

What better way to draw the American people back into their own democracy than having a million tiny cameras following our elected officials – and wannabes – through their daily activities and campaign efforts? Now that’s human drama.

If we could get Americans as excited about “American Democracy” as they are about “American Idol,” we could reform our embarrassingly corrupt, immoral and grossly inefficient system of government.

The results would be vastly entertaining – possibly scandalous and salacious as well – and would put American government right where it belongs: under the scrutinizing and critical eye of the public.

Of course, given free rein, entertainment executives would twist the information to create the most melodrama instead of presenting the most accurate picture of political happenings.

The key is that, while the network entertainment executives should be involved, it’s the network journalists who should run the show and exercise ultimate editorial control.

They could have an editorial board made up of typical Americans, and a panel of the nation’s wisest and wittiest political commentators to provide play-by-play analysis. Interplay between the editorial board members and commentators would create lively debate, discussion and humor.

Yes, we should make our politicians celebrities. Then watch the celebrity press turn on the microscope.

We’ve all seen how the smallest doings of celebrities have become fodder for a whole genre of glossy, full-color gossip magazines.

If Brad Pitt sneezes, there are 15 paparazzi there to immortalize the convulsion. Imagine that kind of scrutiny on our politicians.

Americans would actually recognize their own elected representatives by face and by name – not to mention knowing where they shop, whom they’re seeing, what they wear on the weekends and whether they dye their hair.

“American Democracy.”

I think it could work!

Clarissa French is editor of Springfield Business Journal.